Securing Britain’s energy on the pathway to net zero

There is no projection of the UK’s journey to net zero that does not include a role for gas for decades to come – and with a focus on clean power by 2030, there is a need to accelerate our transition to low-carbon gases.

Today, gas accounts for almost half of the UK’s energy consumption and a third of electricity generation. As we navigate the energy transition, we will need – more than ever – the security that gas brings: to keep the lights on, businesses running and people in jobs.

At National Gas, our job is to provide that security. Every day, across the near 5,000 miles of high-pressure pipes which make up the National Transmission System, we safely and reliably transport gas to half a million businesses, 23 million homes and more than 30 power stations.

Without the security that gas brings, we cannot meet peaks in demand – when the electricity grid needs support to serve businesses and homes. A lack of energy security puts the net zero transition itself at risk, and would prevent many vital industrial sectors which rely on gas, such as glass and paper, from operating altogether.

If we are going to unlock the full potential of renewables across the UK and harness our natural domestic advantages, then we ultimately need to look to low-carbon gases, such as hydrogen, to replace the function that natural gas meets now.

And it is here where we believe Britain truly has an opportunity to lead.

Deep in rural Cumbria, National Gas has been busy testing different blends of hydrogen – most recently 100 per cent – in conditions which replicate our National Transmission System.

In doing so, we have been able to show that it is possible to move hydrogen safely and effectively through our nationwide network of pipes.

This is a major development on the road to net zero. It should give peace of mind to businesses, who will continue to need gas to make products for the world to buy, as well as to the hundreds of thousands of people working in jobs linked to these industries.

National Gas has plans to deliver a core hydrogen network across the whole of Great Britain. In practice, this would act as a ‘hydrogen motorway’, ensuring that all parts of the country can benefit from the hydrogen economy.

With power stations and industry able to connect to a secure and reliable supply of hydrogen, the UK has an unmatched opportunity to unleash a wave of investment, drive exports and deliver a truly national hydrogen economy – unlocking clean power and protecting livelihoods in the process.

We know that our pipes are up to the job, and it is now time for us, government and industry to make this a reality.